Hyposalinity not working- Hippo suffering

[DI68]

I isolated my tang and set up a 90 litre QT tank late Oct and started reducing salinity before I went overseas. I have been gradually dropping it weekly with each water change and it's been sitting at 1.007 but he's looking really bad with a recent outbreak. At one stage I thought it was gone but I know that's just the cycle. I am worried about him and have advertised for someone with more experience with this parasite to re-home and treat him so I am confident he will pull through but I doubt anyone will want the hassle.

My water parameters are :
Nitrite 0

Nitrate 20
Phosphate 2.0
Salinity 1.007
PH 7.8

I have read up on ich including the following:
Marine Ich - Myths and Facts

I know the water levels aren't right but it's difficult with a QT. I do weekly water changes ( or f/n latest )He eats but looks so thin now and I find him laying on his side until I turn lights on ( which I thought added to the stress with QT tanks ) He looks ulcerated which crushes me. Do I need to dose the tank, use phoshate pads etc to improve the water quality further? I am trying to do whatever I can to improve his health and cure him before I can re-home him permanently as my DT is not right for him. I told the LFS my set up when they sold him to me, but I understand more about marine than I did 6mths ago however he shouldn't have to suffer as a result.

Your advice is appreciated.

[alco1]

to be honest.... from what youve said so far... that its thin and laying on its side time to time.... it may be too late

i personally have never done hyposalinity but always used copper and it works like a charm. If it was mine, I would stop the hyposalinity all together and get the salinity right then start copper.

just bear in mind it can be really stressful for the fish if you decide on copper..... and from the state of the fish it may be too much for him

but he is eating!!! so there still may be a chance.

[DI68]

Originally Posted by alco1

to be honest.... from what youve said so far... that its thin and laying on its side time to time.... it may be too late

i personally have never done hyposalinity but always used copper and it works like a charm. If it was mine, I would stop the hyposalinity all together and get the salinity right then start copper.

just bear in mind it can be really stressful for the fish if you decide on copper..... and from the state of the fish it may be too much for him

but he is eating!!! so there still may be a chance.

I always find him on his side and have to check if he is breathing - only the lights have him moving about. It makes me feel ill as I don't harm any animal and don't know what to do. I had an enquiry this morning but the person lived too far away to take him and also suggested copper. Will the change in salinity and then copper treatment be too stressful and kill him? It's since the last water change with more RODI water that he went downhill.

[alco1]

so is he swimming around during the day/lights on but the moment you turn off the lights hes lying on his side??? if that's the case, i've had a couple of hippo tangs in my time and when they all go to sleep they always lie on their side between rocks to sleep... he could just be sleeping

it could be possible for copper to kill.... it does stress out the fish and could potentially kill the fish if the fish is in bad shape to begin with..... but the tang is eating so that's always the best sign.

Try and do copper treatment as soon as you can. the later you leave it, the worse shape the fish will be in when treating.... the sooner you do it the greater the chance he will live.

[DI68]

Originally Posted by alco1

so is he swimming around during the day/lights on but the moment you turn off the lights hes lying on his side??? if that's the case, i've had a couple of hippo tangs in my time and when they all go to sleep they always lie on their side between rocks to sleep... he could just be sleeping

it could be possible for copper to kill.... it does stress out the fish and could potentially kill the fish if the fish is in bad shape to begin with..... but the tang is eating so that's always the best sign.

Try and do copper treatment as soon as you can. the later you leave it, the worse shape the fish will be in when treating.... the sooner you do it the greater the chance he will live.

Thanks for your help. I have been searching online for "Cupramine" - pretty costly around $70 AUD delivered. My local marine aquarium caught on fire last weekend so I already had to fork out $250 for an RODI system to make my own salt water as the next robber in the area - 30kms away charged $22 for a 20 litre bucket of RODI. Unbelievable

[TheTodd]

How are you checking the salinity? Hydrometer or refractometer? Hydros can be way off and if the hypo is higher than what is being read, it might not be working.

If you decide to go copper, be sure to bring the salinity up slowly. Quick drops don't hurt, but going back up too quick could.

Is there decent flow in the QT with the water up top being agitated a little? I'm wondering if the lying around is not lack of oxygen.

[Jschier]

A drawback is that it will take sometime to get the salinity up to where u can use copper and that might be too long. Are you using garlic/selcon in his food? I hope it goes well, I just finished hypo for my hippo and using cupramine for some others, lost a yellow tang and starry blennie, it's rough but best of luck.

[DI68]

Originally Posted by Jschier

A drawback is that it will take sometime to get the salinity up to where u can use copper and that might be too long. Are you using garlic/selcon in his food? I hope it goes well, I just finished hypo for my hippo and using cupramine for some others, lost a yellow tang and starry blennie, it's rough but best of luck.

Thanks- I just re homed him to an expert aquariast - feel much happier.